League Cup Final preview

Friday, 26/02/2010

This Sunday’s Carling Cup Final is the next chance for Aston Villa to confirm themselves as one of the biggest clubs in the Premier League.

Martin O’Neill’s impressive young side have been on fine form of late and have gradually improved season by season since the manager took charge in 2006.

Also in that captivating battle for the crucial fourth Champions League place with Liverpool, Manchester City and last season’s beaten Carling Cup finalists Spurs, Villa are closer to establishing themselves as title contenders than ever before.

The Villans have already won at Old Trafford this season and held ten-man United to a 1-1 draw earlier this month, so the players will certainly be confident.

United go into the game in decent form, the tired looking performance against Everton apart, but Fergie’s team selection could be the biggest factor in the outcome at Wembley this weekend.

If he goes strong and names the likes of Rooney and Fletcher, you’d expect United to come out on top (although Ferdinand is missing). If Wazza is on his own up front it will show the respect that Sir Alex has for Villa and reveal his desire to win another trophy. But, if Owen and Berbatov play up top in a 4-4-2, it’ll show he has other things on his mind.

O’Neill has tasted success in the competition on two occasions during his reputation- making spell with Leicester City and will see bringing that first trophy back to Villa Park as a crucial step in the development of his young players and the club as a whole.

The game could well be a cagey affair with both sides preferring to play on the break, but an early goal could set it up a classic. That would be great for the competition, particularly as the game is being shown live on terrestrial TV.

United Dangermen

Wayne Rooney is in the form of his life and will be bursting to win a trophy for United at Wembley after missing out on last season’s final against Spurs. Pace, strength, vision skill and now a consistent goal getter, The Roon has it all and will be desperate to pocket another medal.

Antonia Valencia has enjoyed an impressive debut season in the red shirt and his preference to stay wide and whip excellent deliveries into the box should be well suited to the expansive Wembley pitch.

One of the most consistent performers in Europe, Patrice Evra loves bombing forward from left-back to make the extra man in United’s attack. The France international struggled in last year’s final against Spurs’ winger Aaron Lennon and will be eager to make up for it.

Villa Dangermen

James Milner ran United ragged at Old Trafford earlier in the season and is more than capable of keeping Patrice Evra occupied at left-back, whilst causing plenty of chaos with his creativity.

Gabriel Agbonlahor has a good scoring record against the Champions and his pace and aggression can be a handful for the finest defenders. He could run riot under the arch.

Villa have plenty of tall players in the side and the deliveries of Stewart Downing could be the difference in a tight game. Operating on either flank and capable of playing a more central role, the England man won the trophy with Middlesbrough in 2004 and will be eager to impress Fabio Capello.

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